Arm-rest



W. J. BUTLER.

ARM REST.

No, 281,338. Patented July 17, 1883.

has STATES WILLIAM J. BUTLER,

ARM-REST.

SPECIFICATION- forming part of Letters Patent No. 281,338, dated July 17, 1883.

Application filed April 21. 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM J. BUTLER, of Salinas city, county of Monterey, State of California, have invented an Improved Arm- Rest; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to a new and. useful rest or support for the arm, the object of which is to enable one to steady his hand in. aiming with a rifle or other fire-arm, or a bow of any description, or in sighting a telescope or spyglass, or for any purpose which requires a firm and steady support.

My invention consists in sundry details of construction and combinations of devices, which are hereinafter fully described, and specitically pointed out in the claims.

Referring to 'the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of TllY ZtIlIl-YCSb. Fig. 2 shows the application of my device.

A is a bar or plate hinged or jointed at a, and forming along and short arm. To the end of the short arm is secured a curved metal strip, 33, to which is attached in any suitable manner an elastic band, C. To the longer arm, at about its center, is secured a strap, D, and

another, D, is secured to the lower end of the arm. The strap Dis secured to strap D at both ends, and the latter is provided onone end with a buckle, d, and at the otherend with a series of holes, d. Upon the face of the long arm, near its hinge, is secured or formed a grooved or slottedratchet, E. This is prefera ly made of two separated pieces of angle shape, in order to form guides, as will be explained. Hinged to the short arm, near its joint, is a pawl, F, having a T-shaped cross whiehis adapted to engage with the teeth of ratchet E when passing over them, and to fit down from one end under and slide down in the channels or guides formed by the angled sides or strips of the ratchet. A small spring, 0, operates to hold the pawl in engage ment.

G is a spring'strip secured at one end to the long arm of plate A by the button e, whichsecures strap 1). This spring extends through the slotted or grooved ratchet E, and its other end lies upon the platee'l, near its hinge. The

normal position of this spring is with its con ter raised on about a level with the top of ratchet E. Now, when the short arm is turned away from and toward a position in line with the long arm, the pawl F is moved free of the upper end of the ratchet. arm is moved at right angles with the long arm, the. pawl is moved down to fit its T- der said ratchet, forcing the spring G down flat until it clears itself of the ratchet at its lower end. Then the spring, relieved, throws up the pawl on a level with the ratchet-teeth. Now, when the short arm is moved away from the long arm, the pawl-head f travclsovcr the teeth and engages with each, to prevent the return of the short arm. \Vhen the pawl is thus in engagement, the teeth of the, ratchet are so inclined that the angle formed by the two arms of the jointed plate A. may be ron dcred more and more obtuse, but cannot be made more acute until the pawl has traveled over the ratchet'and has left its top.

\Vith this explanation of the construction cl the device, its operation when applied will be So readily seen. =The lcft arm (supposing the wearer to be right-handed) is iiited through the elastic band 0 up to a point just above the elbow. The arm is turned with the palm of the hand up, to grasp the rille umlerneath, S5

and the curved metal strip 13 bears under the arm. The short arm of plate A. extends along the under side of the arm to the body, and the lower arm of the plate passes down the left side of the body, being secured firmly thereto by the straps l) D. By raising the arm the pawl F is lifted above the ratchet, and its springs 0 force its head down on he plate A, in which position, when the arm is brought down, it enters under the ratchet sides and 5 moves down without dilliculty, thus enabling the arm to be lowered; but, as l have heretofore described, the pawl .is thrown up by the \Vhen the short- 55 Contin- 6;)

" spring G, when it is freed from the lower end of the ratchet, so that it is in position to engage therewith when the arm is raised. By raising the arm the pawl F slides up over the ratchet and engages with it to hold the arm at any desired inclination. The arm may be moved up, but not down. It is supported at any inclination firmly an d rigidly by the curved strip B, embracing its under portion.

The device is particularly useful as a rifle rest, though it may be applied to any use which requires a steady extended arm.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is j 1. The' bar or plate A, hinged at a, and means for securing its top to the arm and its bottom to the body, in combination with the means for fixing the two portions of the bar or plate at various angles of elevation, consisting of the ratchet E, with teeth in a plane transverse to the supportingbar upon one portion and the swinging spring-pawl F upon the other, substantially as herein described.

2. The bar or plate A, hinged at a, and means for securing its top to the arm and its bottom to the body, in combination with the slotted or grooved ratchet E, formed with angled guide sides, as shown, the spring G in said ratchet, and the swinging spring-pawl F, having a T-shaped cross head, f, all arranged and operating substantially as and for the purpose herein deseribed.

3. A rest or support for the arm, consistingof the hinged or jointed bar or plate A, the curved arm -strip B, having an elastic band, C, for encircling the arm, the straps D D, for securing the plate A to the body, and the means for fixing the angle between the two portions of the plate, consisting of the slotted 40 or grooved ratchet E, having angled guide sides, the spring G in said ratchet, and the i swinging spring-pawl F, having a T-shaped eross-head,f, all arranged and operating substantially as and for the purpose herein de- 45 scribed.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand.

Witnesses:

0. A. Henson, 'W. H.0LARK.

V Minimum. 1 A 

